Starting research on Leeds' very own 'Hyde Park Picture House', a small, arthouse cinema which boasts a strong fanbase and dedicated following of avid film goers, for both indie art house films and the more mainstream variety.
During the concept development of my design production for print project, in which I apsire to create promotional material for a hypothetical Wes Anderson film festival, I felt that HPPH (Hyde Park Picture House) would be a great option for hosting such an event. Of course, being in close proximity was a certain benefit, however, it really is a perfect location- often hosting Wes Anderson films already ('The Royal Tenenbaums' being shown at the late night 'Creature of the Night' viewing on 24/09/11) and a perfectly intimate area to be introduced to Wes' often weird and wonderful world.
Below is a short history of the picture house, along with images sourced online.
After a telephone call with the manager of the picture house this afternoon, I have been lucky enough to have been given permission to take photographs within the building on 31/10/11. All images will be used for promotional purposes- and developed on my Design Practice blog.
HISTORY
Despite the outbreak of war in August 1914, the Hyde Park Picture
House was built and opened ready for business on the 7th November 1914.
The pages of the Yorkshire Evening Post were almost enitrely devoted to
news of the war but a small advert announced the opening of the new
Picture House. It proudly proclaimed itself to be "The Cosiest in Leeds"
and to this day this is a title we try our best to live up to.
The first film to be shown at the picture House was Their Only Son,
billed as a patriotic drama and was followed the next week by the
famous invasion drama An Englishman's House. Although few new cinemas
could be built during the war years audiences continued to grow. By
September 1914 over 6000 men had enlisted in Leeds and the cinema
provided news bulletins, war footage and morale boosting dramas as well
as the escapism of lavish productions. In the years to come the cinema
would become the highlight of many people's week.
A vibrant heart within the thriving Hyde Park community. Over time it
became the backdrop to many little off screen dramas. It was a hot spot
for young couples and many a romance blossomed in the back row. The
advent of the talkies in the late 20's didn't hurt the stride of the
little Picture House in the slightest and a quick conversion to sound
was easilly enough achieved but the road was now open for many a new
hurdle. The 30's saw the building of several new city centre 'super
cinemas' capable of seating up to 3000 people at once.
The 50's saw the development of television. In the 80's it was video,
the 90's was the new multiplex surge and the new millenium brought with
it DVDs and the full power of the internet. BUT with all these changes
the Picture House is all the more able to be a constant, a regular
friendly face in an ever changing social landscape.
The Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Limited.
One of the landmark events in the history of the little Picture House
happened in 1989 when Leeds City Council stepped in to save it from
closure. The Picture House is now owned by Leeds City Council as part of
the Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Limited. This independent
company within the council is dedicated to preserving, and securing the
future of three of Leeds most historically and culturally significant
venues, the Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House, The City Varieties and
the Hyde Park Picture House. The Board of Trustees, Leeds Grand Theatre
and Opera House Ltd. The Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Ltd is a
company limited by guarantee and a registered charity (charity no
500408). It is governed by its memorandum and articles of association.
The Board of Trustees comprises five elected members of Leeds City
Council, one of whom is Chair of the Board, and two independent
trustees. Two further independent trustees are being recruited.
Lisa Mulherin
Councillor Lisa Mulherin is a Leeds City Council member. She has
represented Ardsley and Robin Hood ward (in the new Morley & Outwood
constituency) since 2004. In May 2010 Councillor Mulherin was appointed
Deputy Executive Board Member for Leisure. Before becoming a busy mum
Cllr Mulherin had worked for Wakefield MDC, Leeds Metropolitan
University and managed the constituency office of Harold Best MP. Her
private interests include membership of Epilepsy Action.
Councillor Elizabeth Nash (City & Hunslet Ward)
Cllr Elizabeth Nash was first elected to Leeds City Council for
Kirkstall Ward in 1972 and has served almost continuously since. She
currently represents the City & Hunslet Ward. Councillor Nash has
previously chaired the Leisure Services Committee for seven years, the
Grand Theatre Board for eight years and is a member of the Leeds Piano
Forte competition Committee. She is currently the Honorary Secretary of
the Friends of Leeds City Museums. Her interests are art, music –
particularly opera, walking and skiing.
Cllr Adam Ogilvie Chair of the Board of Trustees, Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Ltd
Cllr Adam Ogilvie is elected member for Beeston and Holbeck ward and
is the Executive Board Member for Leisure. He is on the Board of South
Leeds Community Radio Station and involved with a number of cultural
community cultural events in south Leeds. Councillor Ogilvie has many
interests including walking and is particularly keen to encourage more
people to take part in the arts and other leisure activities.
Cllr John Procter
Cllr Procter is elected member for Wetherby ward. He is Chief Whip
and Executive member for Leisure and is Chair of the Cultural
Partnership. He also serves on the Board of Northern Ballet Theatre.
Cllr Robert (Bob) Gettings
Cllr Gettings is elected member for Morley North, representing the
Morley Independent Party. He is also serves on Morley Town Council.Cllr
Gettings is a governor of Drighlington Primary School and Bruntcliffe
High School.
Dr Keith Howard
Keith Howard is Chairman of the Emerald Group, a Bingley company
which is the world's leading publisher of management research. He is
Chairman of the Opera North Future Fund charged with the task of
supporting a range of Opera North initiatives. He is much involved in
charity work having been chair of Life Education Bradford for a five
year period until 2008 and a patron of Andrea's Gift, a charity devoted
to the support of children with brain tumours.
Paul Iles
Paul Iles is principal lecturer in theatre studies, Liverpool
Institute for Performing Arts. He is associate director of the Georgian
Theatre Royal at Richmond and a director of Northern Broadsides Theatre
Company, Halifax. He previously ran the Blackpool Grand Theatre,
Edinburgh Festival Theatre and the Nimrod Theatre of Sydney. He
graduated MPhil and MLitt from the University of Glasgow.
Roger Wood
Roger Wood retired as HR Director for an international York based
manufacturing company and Non Executive Director for a careers company.
Apart from occasional consultancy assignments, he now undertakes wide
ranging voluntary work and is employed as a part time guide in a well
known stately home in North Yorkshire. Other than his affection for the
theatre and the arts in general, he has a keen interest in sport
especially in rugby and cricket.
SOURCED IMAGES
Screenshots from a downloaded PDF file of a recent Hyde Park Picture House programme- a great source of inspiration for my own programmes- do I follow the HPPH branding style or do I create my own? Rebranding the programme would be a project within itself, and I felt that, if I were to conform to this style (within reason, perhaps making it a little more 'Wes' in terms of typefaces, layouts, images, etc) that the colour palette, in particular, would suit my project quite well. A definite consideration for my later design stages
and developments.
The two logos consistently used for HPPH- a simple black and white logo (economic, simple) and the branded greyscale and yellow spot colour logo- which is used consistently throughout programmes and brochures. Again, the condensed uppercase typeface is great for my own design aspirations- the pairing of HPPH branding and Wes Anderson could go down very well.
An example of one of the printed media programmes- simple colour scheme, but effective- bold and simple. Really like the hand rendered type for 'True Grit' (recent Coen Brothers cinema release)- conforming to the colour scheme but breaking from the digitized type with a more creative flair.
Two more examples of programme/poster covers, for 'Drive' (above) and 'The skin I live in' (below). A general monochromatic poster/film screenshot is used in the promotional image- would this suit my theme? Perhaps for individual film posters, but not for the collective festival- would perhaps look a little too plain. Might be worth considering a "collectors edition" programme set, and making six individual programmes for each film and then one "Wes week" to round off- definite consideration needed.
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